Princess of the night
by Fluttershy360360
Summary: In the 1000 years of Luna's banishment we know nothing. But in this story of love, revenge and sacrifice you will finally know the true nightmare moon.
1. Chapter 1

That cold night, a distraught filly wandered around the castle halls. She kept trotting until she reached two massive wood doors. The creaking of wood could be heard through out the great hall. A white alicorn with a pink mane was busy reading papers and letters. The young mare stepped into the room. " Tia?" The young alicorn said to the older one. " yes Luna?" Celestia said, not bothering to look up from the papers. " I can't sleep. The moon is too bright." Luna said, looking down fearfully. Celestia looked up from her work and smiled at her young sister. " tonight I'm going to show you trick with that." And with that, she got up and guided her sister through the halls, and to one of the towers. They then stepped onto a marble balcony overlooking all of equestria. " look at the moon Luna. Concentrate your magic on making it dimmer." Celestia told her sister. " but I can't do that! I'm only a filly and I don't know that advanced magic." Luna protested. " you don't have to be older to do this simple magic." Celestia reassured. Luna sighed and pointed her horn at the moon. As she focused her magic on it the light of the crescent moon was diminishing. After it got darker, Luna lost all concentration on the moon and let out a happy squeal. Celestia beamed at her sister. Her expression changed to awe though when a crescent moon surrounded by dark clouds appeared on her flank. " Luna! Your cutie mark is there!" Celestia said, still in awe. Luna looked back and saw the mark. Then after letting out another squeal, she promptly embraced her sister tightly. " I love you Tia." Luna said still hugging her sister. Suddenly the dark blue mare looked up, with strictness in her eyes. " promise me we will always be together." She said. Celestia didn't take that long to respond. " I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was a silent night. The crystal empire ponies were going to sleep, knowing that the next morning that they would wake up to the warm air and yawn, and slave away for king sombra. He was a cruel emperor. He took the crystal ponies as slaves, and put them to work at factories, producing gemstones. That is how the crystal ponies created the crystal heart. Unfortunately sombra stole it away.

That cold night 20 Pegasi and two alicorns flew over the crystal empire. Luna had made the night pitch black, specifically for this operation. It was a secret strike on sombras palace, hoping to get rid of him. But Luna was not briefed on that. She had been told that they were there to take back the empire, not to end sombra. It was because of the thought of what would happen if someone told Luna that they were there to assassinate a unicorn, regardless if it meant blowing up half the city, that she wasn't told. ' she has been acting strange lately.' Thought celestia, who was flying a few yards in the formation away from her sister. The ponies then descended upon the castle. There were two guards along the gate, marching back and forth. Swiftly and silently, two of the Pegasi took them out. After the gate was cleared the rest of the team moved into the castle. Luna was told to stay with the 2 members of the insertion team to guard the gate from any more of sombras ponies.

Celestia's team stealthily crept through the castle halls. Once they reached sombras throne room two of the Pegasi took out the guards standing watch over the door. They then entered the throne room. " oh celestia!" In unsurprised voice. " what an unsuspected visit." He closed the doors behind celestia's team. " and I only have time for one guest." He said before using his magic to throw the Pegasi team out the window, only leaving celestia. " now, I understand we have some ' issues' you want to discuss?" He said deviously. " yes, we have a lot of ' issues' to fix. You have been enslaving poor ponies, you had mercenaries break into my home and slaughter 10 of my best guards, and you hurt innocents. " celestia said, in a strict over powering tone. " those guards would take their life for you." Sombra said, getting irritated by the alicorn. " they had families. Wives to love, children to take care of. Three were no older than eighteen and had a whole future ahead of them. But you stole that from them." Celestia said, trying hard to keep calm. Suddenly the doors burst open, and in walked Luna, proud as could ever be. " sombra! Thou have done many crimes to equestria and thou deserves punishment. " her voiced boomed in the royal caunterlot voice. " yes sombra." It hurt celestia to say the name of the ponie she was punishing. " we banish you to the cold waste land above the crystal empire for an eternity." She finished saying, her voices power never diminishing. The amulets( one a sun the other a moon) around the princesses necks glowed and shot out a rainbow which began to wrap around sombra, getting tighter and tighter before he vanished, along with the rainbow. But not before shooting a bright red sphere into the atmosphere. " sister? What is that?" Luna riddled her sister. " I think we'll find out soon."

As soon as the sisters left the crystal empire, along with the Pegasi team, the whole city glowed a bright red tint. Suddenly a loud crack was heard from the city, right before it vanished. " he took the whole darn city?" Said a pegasaus. While celestia was busy with sombra, the insertion team was attacked by gaurds. The guards outnumbered the team taking out almost half of them. ( unknown to them now, they were to become the first wonder bolts team. ) when the team met back up just outside the city, they were tired and ready to fly back. Luna could read every ponies minds, to see what they thought of the operation.

Some thought of their home and families, some thought of their own safety, and some thought of the disappearance of the crystal empire. But Luna could see that something was there that she didn't know. Something that angered her that they hadn't told her. " we were here to kill sombra?" She said. And it wasn't a question. All the ponies stopped what they were doing and stared at the princess, signs of guilt in their faces. They forgot she could read minds. " you went to assassinate thou sombra, with out my permission? Thou dares to not warn me of the true nature of this mission?" The ponies were terrified now. Celestia sensed a change In the air. She felt Something wrong with Luna. " Luna, we couldn't tell you. The court didn't want you to stop this mission. Plus we didn't kill him, merely banished him. " she said, bravely trying to calm her sister down to no avail. " I don't care. Thou should have told us." Luna responded, her voice getting louder and louder. " Luna you don't understand. The court would have ..."

" we don't care about the court. Thou has nothing to fear from them." She said, her tone of voice nearing the royal caunterlot voice. " Luna! Listen to me. They could have killed you." Celestia said. Luna stopped. She stood there panting and took her turn to be shocked. " Luna, you must understand, what we did tonight might have me killed by the court. " everything grew silent. Luna then straightened and walked over to an open area, spread her wings and took off, flying home. One by one, the ponies started on the journey home. As celestia left, she thought about Luna. ' her presence is growing dark. Something's wrong with her. She has been having violent out breaks a lot. Something is happening and I need to fix it.' Little did any pony know, that soon Luna would herself be banished to a cold distant land. But before that, she became nightmare moon.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The court. The one thing celestia could willingly hate. If she had one word for them it was ' selfish'. The court only cared about gaining land and getting rid of those who stood in its way. Celestia , in truth, was not the true ruler of equestria, it was the court. Celestia was nothing more than a figure head.. Luna didn't even matter to them, they only let her live because celestia black mailed the court by saying she would reveal to the pony population all the courts secrets. ' we can get rid of you celestia. You know that.' The court had responded. ' and after telling all equestria your files, do you really want to risk a few of them figuring it all out?' ' we can get rid of them as well'

' they will all find out. You will be on your hoofs begging for forgiveness.'

The court waited several days to respond. Their response some what consisted of seriousness and some ' unkind ' compliments. Celestia scoffed. At it and threw it away. ' I hate the court' she thought.

And now she stood once again in front of two large, beautifully crafted, mahogany wood doors. But behind their beauty, laid a sinister evil. The court was waiting to discuss celestia's actions she took in the crystal empire. They were unhappy that celestia decided to banish sombra instead of ' get rid of him'. A beige pony waked up to celestia. " there ready for you." Said the pony. Celestia opened the doors. Inside was round room with grey, cracked walls surrounding celestia. Above them, there was a 6 podiums. Behind the podiums lay the court officials. The sinister podium that belonged to the most vile and evil, Blind Justice. He had a balance as a cutie mark, and cold grey eyes that burned into your memory. He was a marble white alicorn with a marble grey white mane, nearly cut. He stared at celestia as she walked in. When he spoke his voice was scratchy and gravely and dry. " princess celestia. You are here to present to the court, your excuse's for your action that were taken place in what was the crystal empire." Blind Justice spoke in his dry hoarse voice to all the court and to celestia. A blue pegasaus raised her hoof. She was Crystal Skies. " the court recognizes miss Crystal Skies." Blind justice spoke to her. " I would like to ask celestia why she decided to bring the elements of harmony, which are not capable of killing, on a assassination operation." Crystal said in a bland, chalky voice. Celestia hesitated then spoke. " I took the elements because i never planned to kill sombra. No matter how evil, how vile, how sinister a pony is, doesn't mean we murder them. "

" but in what other way do we ' get rid of them'?"

" do what I did. Banish them. "

The court was already frustrated with celestia. She seemed to get rebellious every time they met. A unicorn( orange embers) spoke up. " celestia, we have been through this. Remember discord? You were ' ordered' to knock him of our list, but you decided to imprison him in stone. Do you realize they can all just come back? Banishments don't last forever, and when someponies banishment ends, it's gonna come back to bite you in the flank." He said in a young serious voice. " I acknowledge that I have refused to kill. I admit i punished them in less lethal ways, but I don't want any-pony to be killed at my hoofs unless they truly deserve it. And I can tell you , discord and sombra were not that evil."

The court took in celestia's words. Blind Justice spoke once more. " if they were not that evil, then who is."

Celestia didn't hesitate. " you" she said, with a rebellious tone splashed in her words." Celestia, must you be this difficult with us? You claim us evil, but we let your sister..."

" Luna"

" ' Luna ' live." He spoke in his dry voice.

Celestia was taken aghast. ' they wouldn't harm Luna would they?' She thought. " no, celestia. We won't hurt Luna." Blind Justice said, after reading celestia's mind. ' thank caunterlot.' She thought. " you might have to." Celestia was shocked at such words. " your sister is getting violent these past few days. A guard was injured by her just two days ago. We might need you to ' take care of her' for us, if she gets in our way." He spoke with a tone of seriousness. He also hinted at sadness, but that was a cover for the evil in his heart. " you are a monster. " celestia said, before leaving and slamming the two mahogany doors shut behind her.

A loud crash could be heard from Luna's room. As celestia approached her door, she hesitated before opening it and walking in. Luna was having a tantrum of the very worst. She was using her magic to pick things up and throw them across her room. " Luna! Are you alright?" Celestia asked her angry sister. " tis alright celestia." Luna said quicly and roughly. Celestia looked at the room then looked at her sister. Luna was crying. Celestia took one last look at Luna and then embraced her . " what happened Luna?" Celestia asked in a motherly voice. " it's the ponies out there." Luna said, trying to hold back more tears. " why is it that ponies play and have fun In your days but sleep in my night?" Luna asked, a stern look engraved in her face. " Luna, dear, night is for rejuvenation, for making ponies feel better and more energized for the day." Celestia said, trying to calm her sister down. " Luna, no matter what happens , wether ponies sleep through your night or not, I am here. I respect your nights. I love you Luna. I just don't understand why you have to take your anger out violently. Remember I promised i would always be there for you." Celestia said. Before saying good bye to her sister. Luna was on the path to becoming the creature we have feared most. Nightmare moon.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The day had finally come. The most dramatic and horrible day In celestia's life. The day which (horribly ironic)

would be celebrated by ponies everywhere. The day Luna was banished.

It would have been a better week, had Luna not taken down the sun and refused celestia to raise it. Celestia then was put( by luna) in the dungeons. The court sent the royal guard to save her. Once they had, a week of total darkness had gone by. By the time celestia had snuck up into the throne room, the sky had grown even darker. When celestia looked at the thing that used to be her sister, she was revolted and impressed in a way. She had on a helmet that matched her original mane color, her eyes were pure white, and she had fangs. As celestia moved closer to her sister, thoughts of the courts reason to send her after Luna swam through her head. ' she's dangerous. Luna is a threat to our society and citizens, we can't have her alive.' Blind justice had said. ' since when to did you care for civilians?' Celestia rebelliously said.

' listen, you need to take care of this problem with Luna. Or we will be forced to do it for you.' Blind justice countered. So celestia had been forced to kill her sister. But of course it would have been impossible for celestia to end her sisters life, no matter what ' problem' was occurring with her. So a plan was made. Celestia decided against turning to stone or banishment any where on equestria, the court would surely find her and probably ' get rid of ' celestia. ' why not above equestria, instead of risking anywhere else. ' and so came the great lunar plan. The plan to relocate Luna onto the moon. Celestia planned to fake her sisters death, and instead send her to the large celestial body orbiting around equestria. So on a dark Friday night, the great princess was confronted by the largest and darkest choice she would ever make.

As she moved nearer to the dark insane, twisted version of her sister, all the memories she could remember rolled through her mind like a film. She remembered the day when her sister was born. The air was crisp, and the world was young. Celestia could hear again her mothers piercing screams, and then the moments silence before a crying could be heard. Celestia also remembered seeing her mothers body after, and she remembered how her mother looked lifeless and cold. She remembered attending her mothers funeral, and then her fathers death. Then she remembered her sister and how they used to sing and play while their parents worked. She remembered the day Luna received her cutie mark, the night she raised the moon for the first time as well. And she could remember the songs she and her sister sang. ' ring around the pony

Pocket full of posies

Ashes to ashes we all fall down'

And as celestia remembered these moments, she prepared to face this sick version of her sister." YOU SISTER! YOU SHALL GO AWAY. I DESERVE RESPECT FOR MY NIGHTS. AND YOU DESERVE TO PAY" Luna/ night mare moon said in the royal caunterlot voice. " NIGHT MARE MOON." Celestia commanded. " YOU ARE SENTENCED TO BANISHMENT FROM EQUESTRIA." Celestia's horn glowed." I THERE FORTH BANISH YOU TO THE MOON." The elements that both ponies wore, glowed a rainbow color and then rainbows started to shift around Luna. While this happened celestia started talking to her sister. " Luna? Could- could you sing with me? You know, the songs we used to sing" the princess said, ignoring the fact that her sister would be unresponsive. Celestia sang any ways. " ring around the p-p-pony" the rainbow colored lights wrapped themselves more tightly around luna. " pocket full of posies"

The lights grew brighter.

" ashes t-t-to ashes"

The lights then exploded, and in a flash, Luna was gone, leaving celestia alone I a dark throne room. Celestia strayed crying. Each tear falling to the floor and creating a bigger puddle. Soon the royal guard came in. " princess are you all right?" Asked the first guard. Celestia looked up into his luscious green eyes.

" we all fall down."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The moon was a cold and dark place. Almost no light reached this side of it. When Luna arrived, she felt the cold strike her coat like a thousand knives. She stared out at a pitch black cover over the world that was dotted with lights. To Luna it looked like a black blanket with holes in it. It almost looked like the night sky she used to bring in equestria. But now it felt different. It was the same blackness ponies looked into at night, but it seemed darker. It was also the color black. In equestria it was a purple color and it seemed friendly in a way. But here, the sky looked sinister.

Luna looked at her hoofs. She was no longer night mare moon. She was now, princess Luna. She laid down on the rocky dry surface and began to think. Of all things, she thought about her sister ruling all equestria by herself and instantly worried about the raising of the moon at night. She then through those fears out and trusted that celestia would find a way. She knew that her sister would fix this problem. ' even if she's the one who put me into it.' Luna thought. She thought over and over her reason for being on the moon, yet she couldn't reach her decision. She scuffed her hoof along the ground and then looked down at the grey soil below her feet. She then laid down and cried. She cried for a few hours until she realized something. " the moon is probably glowing bright to night back in equestria." Luna said to herself. She then stopped crying, and suddenly saw the awkward grey landscape, very beautiful. She fell in love with the rolling hills and jagged mountains. She enjoyed the deep craters because of their unusual slopes. She wanted to explore the entire moon. And that's what she did. She travelled across all types of mountains, valleys and plains. All the while, thinking about her banishment and the monster she became. She also thought of the happy moments she shared with her sister. For once, Luna felt a new independence. She was free to do or think what she wanted. She was no longer held in chains that her sister put her in. She could remember how her sister was never there for her. Celestia was always doing work and never had time for Luna. The only things they really did together was defeat threats to equestria. Luna decided to have nothing to do with her sister from then on. As Luna climbed onto the peak of a mountain, she could see her new world. And for the first time in years, Luna laughed a true laugh. She could see every crater, mountain or plain that she would cross. She was free. No sister, no evil. Just peace and quiet. But Luna knew there could be more to her life than this. She walked over to a large flat area on a cliff over looking the cratered lunar surface. She then went deep into her magic and then shot it out all over her surroundings. She then used it to dig into the rocky ground and pull out large boulders which she then magically cut down to bricks. She then stacked them together to form walls and a floor. She then made a roof along with a tower. Luna then walked into her new castle. Again using her magic, she made chairs and tables and sculptures of smiling ponies. She then carved into the ceiling to make constellations. Then Luna put a large hole in the middle of the roof so that equestria was inside it. Luna missed her old home, but she was proud of her new one. All she needed was a title. ' queen of the moon? No. Ruler of lunar surface? Too long. ' guardian of the moon? No not good enough. ' then Luna remembered her role in equestria. ' the princess of the night.'

Luna was happy. For the first time in her life she experienced true joy. And the princess of the night was ready to rule her world.


End file.
